Currently, no wedding celebration is complete without wedding rings. People, joining together the bonds of marriage, exchange rings and oaths of eternal love and loyalty, and do not even think about why the ring is considered a symbol of a happy and strong family, from which such a tradition has arisen, as people of different nationalities and beliefs wear what signs are associated with it.
How did the tradition
The emergence of wedding rings associated with ancient Egypt. It was there that historians have found the earliest references to them. Lovers in a sign of endless love exchanged homemade wicker woven from growing on the banks of the Nile reed or hemp rings.
For the Egyptians, a ring like the Moon or the Sun, which they worshiped, of the same round shape, having no end or beginning, symbolizes eternal mutual love. Gradually, due to the fragility of such a material, the ring began to be made of leather or bone, and much later, metal, including gold, was used to make them.
The Egyptians wore the symbol of love on the ring finger, since, according to their conviction, it was from there that blood flowed straight to the heart through a thin venous vessel.
In ancient Rome, a man as a sign of loyalty, love, as well as a sign that he shifts the responsibility for the life of his future wife to himself, gave the wedding ring to her parents. The bride, who gave her consent, became the property of the groom.
Over time, this custom has changed, and the bridegroom should have given the ring to his beloved, and the material from which he was made, always depended on the level of prosperity of the man.
For a very long time until the 19th century AD, the so-called "ring language" existed. So the ring worn on the little finger said that its owner was not ready to get engaged with anyone, on the ring finger - that the owner had already found that one and only, on the middle finger - about the existence of significant experience in love affairs, and on the index finger finger - the intention to find a soul mate.
In Russia, along with a wedding ring, the bridegroom gave the bride a key that said that a woman becomes not just a wife, but also the mistress of the house. Both the groom and the bride originally wore rings made of different materials.
Over time, gold was used everywhere to make jewelry, and it was customary to wear golden wedding rings on both spouses.
On which hand are men and women in Russia wearing a wedding ring?
Initially in Russia the wedding ring was put on the index finger. But after the arrival of the Orthodox Church, the traditions changed - the couple began to wear rings on the nameless, so-called "ring" finger of their right hand. It has survived to this day.
According to many, it is the right hand that participates in all life processes of a person, such as writing, shaking hands, eating, is associated with correctness and honesty, and in turn, the left hand is associated with lies and delusion.
On which hand do widows need to wear a ring?
In the event of the death of the beloved, the widow, depending on her desires and prejudices, can either remove her wedding symbol or continue to wear it, but only on the opposite hand. As for the ring of the deceased, the widow can dispose of him in different ways:
- keep a memory of big love and put it in a secluded place;
- wear with your own or in place of your ring the opposite hand;
- wear on a chain around your neck;
- give (donate) to church.
In general, many believe that gold carries a lot of energy information of the deceased, which can affect living people in different ways, and the ring left at home does not allow the deceased to rest in another world. That is why it is often recommended to donate jewelry to the deceased.
On which hand do people of different religions wear a wedding ring?
Orthodox and Jews wear a ring on the right hand, but with one significant difference: the Orthodox - on the ring finger, and the Jews - on the index finger.
Catholics and Protestants put this marriage symbol on the common ring finger of his left hand. They attribute this to the fact that the heart, filled with love for his chosen one, is located on the left and the left hand closer to him.
Muslims completely abandoned this wedding symbol. Men of this religion give their beloved various gold jewelry. It’s not their custom to wear gold, but only silver.
On the finger which hand do people wear in different countries?
Wearing wedding rings primarily depends on the person’s religion. So in America, Great Britain, France, Azerbaijan, the symbol of love is put on the left hand, and in Belarus, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Venezuela, Uzbekistan - on the right hand.
It happens when a wedding ring is put on this or that hand, regardless of the religion adopted in the given country. For example, Catholics, countries such as Poland, Germany, Austria wear a ring not on the accepted left, but on the right hand. And, for example, in Armenia, where most people belong to the Orthodox religion, it is worn on the left hand.
In African countries, women instead of the conventional wedding symbol wear wedding bracelets on their hands in large quantities. And in Asian countries, the girls themselves choose where they will wear a wedding ring, and they may prefer, for example, the toe.
Signs about the wedding symbol
There are a lot of folk signs about the entire wedding ceremony, including wedding rings. The choice of the ring is a very important matter. It is necessary not only to choose the size, but also to decide on what material it will be made of, whether there will be any additional decorations or inscriptions on it, and much more. Signs can help with the choice of a wedding symbol.
Lovers, it is desirable to acquire new wedding rings. It is possible to use someone else's rings belonging to parents or grandparents only if they managed to maintain love for each other throughout a long family life.
The wedding ring should be worn constantly and in no case give it to anyone to try on. It can interfere with family happiness.
It is believed that if the wedding ring is simple, smooth, without various ornaments, then the life of the spouses will be equally cloudless and smooth, without obstacles.
You need to be very careful about the wedding symbol, since the loss or breakdown of it promises to quarrels and close divorce.
During the wedding ceremony, unmarried girls and boys can and even need to touch the wedding rings of the newlyweds, as this may contribute to their future family happiness.
A wedding ring is an integral and important attribute of a wedding ceremony, but we must not forget that love in the heart of every newlywed must be sincere and real. Only in this case is possible a happy life together.
Some more interesting information about the tradition associated with wedding rings - in the next video.
